Thursday, June 23, 2011

-Controversial church plans to picket public funeral later this week -Memorial comes as toxicology results reveal Dunn was more than two times over the drink-drive limit but no suspicion of drug abuse -He had been driving at between 132mph and 140mph-Star had notched up 23 driving convictions - including ten for speeding - before accident -Pilferers collect ghoulish mementos from crash scenes and 'plan to sell parts of wreckage on eBay'

By Daily Mail Reporter

Distraught: A forlorn-looking Johnny Knoxville attends the memorial service for his tragic Jackass co-star Ryan Dunn in West Chester, Philadelphia. Dunn was killed in a high-speed car smash on Monday aged 34

A private memorial service was held today for Jackass star Ryan Dunn, who was killed in a high-speed car crash in the early hours of Monday morning.

Jackass frontman Johnny Knoxville led the mourners as a private ceremony was held at a funeral home in West Chester in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon.Dunn's best friend and fellow Jackass star Bam Margera was in attendance with his wife Melissa Rothstein and parents April and Phil, who were also close to Dunn.

The memorial took place on a painful day for the 34-year-old stuntman's loved ones after toxicology reports confirmed that he was more than twice over the drink-drive limit when he crashed, killing himself and passenger Zachary Hartwell.

The memorial was held at the DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith and Boyd funeral home and comes ahead of a full funeral, which is set to be held later this week.

Meanwhile a controversial church from Kansas has released a statement, saying it plans to picket Dunn's funeral.

In a statement which will no doubt cause fresh anguish, Westboro Baptist Church proclaimed: 'Ryan Dunn is in hell,' adding: 'WBC will picket any public memorial/funeral held for Dunn, warning all not to make a mock of sin, & to fear & obey God.'

Westboro was started by the Reverend Fred Phelps in 1955. The website for the group outlines plans to send parishioners to Philadelphia to protest at the funeral in Philadelphia.

Funeral director Joseph DellaVecchia told CNN today that he didn't expect any disturbances at the memorial- but admitted he had heard of Westboro's plans.

He told CNN: 'We can’t stop someone from coming to a public funeral, but this is private, and the police have everything under control.'

Support: Bam's parents April and Phil Margera, who were very close to Dunn, arrive hand in hand

Time to reflect: DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith and Boyd funeral home in West Chester, Philadelphia, where the memorial was held

Police revealed yesterday that Dunn's blood alcohol level was 0.196, more than twice the legal limit in Pennsylvania, which is 0.08, at the time of the crash.

West Goshen Police Chief Michael Carroll added that the toxicology report from the Chester County Coroner's Office indicated there were 'no drugs of abuse detected'.

Dunn, 34, had been in a bar with friends in the hours before the crash. He is said to have drunk three beers and taken shots before getting behind the wheel shortly after 2am on Monday morning.

Police said he was driving at around 132mph and 140mph in a 55mph zone when his Porsche 911 flew off the road and burst into flames.

It is not known if Dunn and his passenger died from the impact or were unable to escape the vehicle as it exploded into a fireball.

Mr Carroll, who was involved in the accident reconstruction, described it as the worst crash he had ever seen.

Over the limit: Ryan Dunn, seen here in a Twitter picture hours before the crash, was twice the legal limit at the time of the crash

It has emerged that Dunn had notched up 23 driving convictions, including ten for speeding, before his accident. Dunn had also been arrested for drink driving.

His driving record was revealed as friends from the Jackass films mourned his death and visited the crash site in Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, childhood friend Bam Margera was in tears as he stood by the roadside where Dunn and Mr Hartwell died.

Wreckage: The charred remains of the Porsche 911 GT3 are towed away as police survey the scene

Fresh details: A statements released by the West Goshen Township Police Department revealed details of the the toxicology report

Ghoulish: New footages shows 'treasure hunters' at the scene pilfering bits of the car wreckage

Cashing in: Some people told reporters they were planning to sell the mementos on eBay

Court records showed that Dunn had received at least 23 driving citations in the last 13 years.

Ten were for speeding and careless driving and three others were for driving on a suspended licence.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer 90 per cent of the citations ended in guilty pleas.

Meanwhile it has emerged that 'treasure hunters' are pilfering debris from the car that Dunn crashed.

Heartbroken: Bam Margera returns to the spot where his best friend and Jackass co-star lost his life in a horrific car smash in the early hours of Monday morning in Philadelphia

Devastation: Dunn's car span off the road, through a guardrail and into the woods

A video report by Philadelphia Fox News captured footage of people collecting ghoulish mementos along the stretch of road where the accident happened.

Reporter Chris O'Donnell said that some had told him they were planning to sell the parts on eBay.

'You should have seen these people pilfering away,' an outraged O'Donnell reported back to the studio, while reporting from the scene.

O'Donnell added that police had told him taking parts of wreckage from an investigation scene is illegal.

Where the night started: Dunn and Hartwell were both at Barnaby's in West Chester hours before the accident